We are essentially two weeks removed from NFL free agency, and while the Jets were busy making moves, they weren’t making too many good ones. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe that you should build your team through free agency, but many of the guys the Jets brought in can’t be considered anything more than backups or fringe players.

With all that they lost in free agency and the lack of quality players Darren Mougey brought in so far in his first go-round, the Jets still have some glaring holes on their roster.

With that in mind, let’s rank the biggest gaps in the Jets roster based on what they currently have on the team and what options that exist to fill that gap. Keep in mind, while I absolutely hate the Justin Fields signing and loathe and detest the Brandon Stephens deal, the Jets made their choice, and we must live with it. 

I already gave my top needs still for the offense, which is in much worse shape than the defense, but there are still some big needs on the defensive side of the ball.  We are a long way removed from the elite Jets' defense of 2023 and I don't expect that this unit will be able to drag the offense to seven wins like before.

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3. Defensive Tackle

Current roster: Quinnen Williams, Derrick Nnadi, Leonard Taylor III, Byron Cowart

The issue here is the Jets have a bonafide star in Quinnen Williams and then a lot of guys that will make sure that Q sees a double team on every play. The Jets defensive tackles are a bunch of guys that take up space along a defensive line. There are no players that you worry about from an offensive standpoint beyond assigning one offensive lineman to block him. Could they go into the season with this group and hope for the best? Sure, but it wouldn’t be the best way to go.

Free Agency fix: Raekwon Davis

While doing this, I’ll have to try and stick to the Jets’ free agent philosophy of “younger means better” even though that isn’t the case. After the initial wave of free agency saw most of the big money players find new homes, the Jets are going to have to go with the quantity over quality approach. Davis isn’t too much of a step up from what they already have, but he is a step up and would be relatively cheap for his upside.

The former Miami Dolphins second-round pick out of Alabama started 48 games in his career and had his best year in 2023.

Draft fix: Mason Graham, Michigan

Graham might be my favorite player in the draft. The guy is the rare combination of unbelievable talent and high motor that you want in a defensive lineman. I believe he will be gone before the Jets pick at seven, but if he is there, I would be hard pressed to pass on him. He doesn’t have a hole in his game as he is dominant against the run and as a pass rusher from the inside.

Pairing Graham with Quinnen Williams would give the Jets the ability to overwhelm opposing quarterbacks up the middle. The Jets may have bigger needs in the draft as you will see, but if they get a shot at Graham, I think you take it.

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2. Defensive End

Current roster: Will McDonald IV, Jermaine Johnson, Eric Watts, Micheal Clemons

How can defensive end by an area of need with two former first-rounders starting? Well, for Jermaine Johnson he is coming off an Achilles injury that saw him miss all but two games in 2024. I love his game, but with an injury like that, you simply can’t be too sure how he is going to come back in year one. Will McDonald is a pass rushing specialist that can be a true game changer. The problem is teams don’t pass on every down. I love McDonald’s pass rush abilities, but I think he has shown to be a liability in the run game.

Micheal Clemons is everyone’s least favorite Jet right now considering his ability to be out of position and always get a stupid penalty at the worst times. If he wasn’t so cheap, I imagine he would be an easy cap casualty.

Free Agency fix: John Cominsky

The former Detroit Lion played two years under Aaron Glenn and had six sacks and 66 tackles for the new Jets head coach. He is a cheap option to fill a void and a fantastic situational player to bring into the rotation whether Johnson and McDonald live up to their first-round billing or not. At best he becomes one of the better rotational guys at the DE position and at worst he is an average starter at a bargain price.

Draft fix: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College

With all the hole on the Jets roster, I don’t see them drafting an edge player in the first round unless by some miracle Abdul Carter were to fall to them. After Carter there is a lot of guys that would put in a similar tier. Ezeiruaku is flying up draft boards and will likely not be available when the Jets pick in the second round. If he should fall far enough, the Jets could do a lot worse than to bring him into the mix and let Jermaine Johnson walk after next season.

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1. Safety

Current Roster: Andre Cisco, Tony Adams, Jarius Monroe, Isaiah Oliver*

The Jets gave former hometown boy Andre Cisco a one-year deal and placed a right of first refusal tender on Tony Adams when free agency began to make sure they had at least someone to play the position. And if these are their starting two safeties for 17 games next season, it isn’t that bad. But after those two, the Jets are extremely thin at the position. That is why I included Isaiah Oliver on the list, even though he is technically listed as a cornerback. The Jets will need to address the safety position at some point again this offseason.

Free Agency fix: Julian Blackmon

The 26-year old safety out of Utah was taken in the third-round of the 2020 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts where he spent all five season of his career. He started 62 games in those five years, missing more than half the season in 2021 with an injury. He is a decent tackler and would be a nice player for the Jets to add to their secondary. He has 10 career interceptions including one pick-six.

Draft fix: Xavier Watts, Notre Dame

Much like the defensive end position, I don’t believe the Jets entertain the idea of drafting a safety in the first round. Xavier Watts is a guy they can look at in the second round as an immediate upgrade at a position that the Jets haven’t really addressed since the Todd Bowles days. Watts is a Malik Hooker type. He needs some work on his tackling, but he is a ball-hawk in the secondary and can line-up with almost any tight end or slot receiver on the field

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The Jets won't be able to solve all of these roster holes with one draft class and the free agency list is starting to thin out. The Jets are going to need to get creative in plugging these roster holes before they line up in September.   One thing is for sure, that the Jets are counting on Aaron Glenn to cover up a lot of roster blemishes.

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